Selective catalytic reduction of NO by C2H2 over Ce-Al2O3 catalyst with rate-determining step of NO oxidation

Ce-Al2O3 catalysts prepared by co-precipitation are investigated both in NO oxidation by O2 and in selective catalytic reduction of NO by C2H2(C2H2-SCR).It is found that C2H2-SCR is initiated and controlled by NO oxidation to NO2 over Al2O3.Ce loading on Al2O3 is almost inactive for NO oxidation below 350 C,since NO2 strongly adsorbs on cerium oxide,leading to the active sites being blocked,which was characterized by temperature-programmed desorption of NO and NO 2 and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy after NO+O 2 coadsorption over the samples.However,in the case of C2H2-SCR,Ce loading on Al2O3 significantly improves the reaction by accelerating the NO oxidation step in the temperature range of 250-450 C,since the nitrate species produced by NO 2 adsorption is an active intermediate required by C2H2-SCR.